The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-27
AN ELECTION STORY.
How the Students of Dartmouth Got Revenge
the Village Residents.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
Professor Brant " Dickson of st. Louis, was
chatting with a party of friends in the lobby of
the st. James Hotel the other night The result
of the recent election the subject of CONVEX
sation, and that led to "reminiscences of other
exciting elections. 'The funniest election I
ever took part in" said the Professor, was
when a student at Dartmouth College.
The village of Hanover, New Hampshire, where
the college is situated did not contain more than
100 or 125 resident voters, but they made more
fuss in proportion contest than you make
here in New York At the time of which
speak there were about one hundred and fifty
students in college who were of full age, and for
years the town authorities had swelled the local
treasury by leving poll tax on the boys, though
none of them were legal residents of the place
and never took any interest in their local con-
tests and squabbles. OF course the poll tax was
illegal and unjust. But that made no difference
to the villagers, who gave no heed to our fire.
quent protests, and generally paid the tax of
fifty cents a dollar head, rather than have
any trouble about so small amount. Finally.
however, We made up our minds that if we paid
the poll tax, we had the right to vote. So when
the spring election for village president, trus-
tees, constable roadmaster, and treasurer ap-
preached, word was passed around among the
boys to pay their tax without a murmer. On
election day we filled down to the polling place
in body, each man armed with a tnamlng
a student for each of the offices to be filled. The
poll clerks objected to our voting. But we
showed them the receipt for poll tax and proved
prima facie right to vote Not being pre-
pared for the emergency, they allowed our vote
to go in. The consequence the students
ticket elected by large majority, and every
local Office was filled by of our number.
The first thing the new board of trustees did
was to order frst-class stone sidewalk from
the college building to the post Office, much
needed, but somewhat expensive Improvement.
Then fire-engine was purchased, for
every student belonged to the fire department.
We granted license to first-class saloon;
there hadn't been such an institution In the town
for many years. We redecorated and refur-
nished the town hail. that was where we had
the commencement exercises. In fact, we in
augurated number of improvements which the
old village trustees would never have allowed.
Never before were the roads in that bailiwick
kept in such splendid condition as during the
reign of the students dynasty. Ii one Of the
BOYS went out with his girl for a drive and
found depression, a hummock or stone in the
way, he reported to the roadmaster, who had 1T
repaired forthwith. The villagers fretted and
seolded and finally began proceedings in the
court. But you know courts are slow and we
had a fairly long lease of power. enough, at any
rate, to complete the reforms which we con-
vative under the circumstances. though 1t did
cost the villagers goodly sum to pay the bills
we incurred in official capacity as their rep
reSentativeS.'
''How did the courts decide the case in the
endl' asked one of the amused listeners.
'.Oh, they decided that the election ille
gal and the poll tax too. and ordered a new cleo
ton. The acts of the officers were declared to
have been in good faith and with apparent au-
thority. and, therefore, binding. All this, how
ever, took nearly year, and our work was
done in that time We were never afterward
troubled with poll tax though, and we turned
the village government IN better shape
than 1t had been in before we took up the burden
of Office"
What Office Gid you hold, professorl"
81, oh, ! was the yillags president. 1t was
my first and last political office. But have
ever since been interested in political contests